Program offers air conditioning units

As the summer months bring warmer temperatures, Erie County’s Department of Social Services, Heating and Energy Assistance Program has announced an AC Cooling Assistance Program.

This program began Monday and will last until Aug. 13, or until all funding is exhausted. All eligible households will receive one window air conditioning unit.

In order to be eligible for this benefit, households must have received HEAP benefits during the 2009-10 season or have income that falls within the ranges for normal HEAP eligibility.

There is also a medical eligibility requirement, which dictates at least one person in the household must have an acute medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat. This condition must be documented within the past six months by a physician or longer if the condition is chronic.

“This program provides much needed help and assistance to the residents of our community, who might not otherwise be able to afford air conditioning and escape from the oftentimes oppressive summer heat,” said Erie County Legislator Timothy Kennedy, D-Cheektowaga.

Households that have purchased an air conditioning unit within the past five years are not eligble.

For more information regarding the program, required documentation or eligibility requirements, contact the HEAP department through the hotline at 858-7644. To receive an application, call the hotline, or contact Kennedy’s office at 824-6180.